1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the operation of a combustion engine in response to an input command.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A predominant theme in the relevant prior art is that, when it is a primary objective to improve the fuel economy of passenger cars, a continuously variable transmission should replace a transmission of the more conventional discrete-ratio type. This theme completely neglects important practical considerations such as the technological risk of continuously variable transmissions and the fact that significant improvements can be made in conventional discrete-ratio transmissions without incurring technological risk. Also unrecognized is that drive-by-wire control further narrows the theoretical fuel economy gap between discrete-ratio and continuously variable transmissions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,272, Schneider et al disclose a drive-by-wire control system adaptable to both discrete-ratio and continuously variable transmissions. While such a control system would, entirely by itself, improve the fuel economy of a conventional passenger car with a gasoline engine and a discrete-ratio transmission, it would also increase engine exhaust emissions and cause an excessive number of gearshifts during city driving.